When it comes to low-budget cinema, it’s all too easy to be a bit of a Gr… sorry, a Mean One. Too often, the performances can be weak, the visuals muddy and uninteresting. Stories padded full of filler, writing which stretches the limited ability of an amateur-hour cast. However, there will always be the gold in the hills that makes even the worst of no-budget horror worth bearing with. A clarity of vision or ferocity that shines through, past the limited funds and technical shortcomings – one that makes it all feel worthwhile.
So, Stephen LaMorte’s The Mean One, an unauthorised parody of Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas and, more specifically, its Ron Howard adaptation (including rhyming narration from Anthony Hopkins semi-soundalike Christopher Sanders). Some may argue that Carrey’s snarling and slathering Grinch was scary enough in its own right, but LaMorte (plus writers Finn and Flip Kobler) are here to give The Mean One his bloody body count.
Years after her mother was killed on Christmas Eve, Cindy (Krystle Martin) returns to her hometown of Newville to face her demons. Residing in the imposing mountain which overlooks the town, The Mean One (David Howard Thornton – the Terrifier series’ Art the Clown) is on hand to slaughter anyone who dares celebrate Christmas in Newville. Which spells bad news for Cindy and her Christmas-loving dad. Working with hunky cop Officer Burke (Chase Mullins) and Doc, the town coot (John Bigham), can Cindy avenge her mother and put a stop to The Mean One’s reign of terror?
Lampooning both The Grinch and Hallmark-type Christmas cheese, this gory horror comedy has great fun with its lime green monster. The film may not be able to mention the, uh, Green One, by name, but its creature design is on point, and Thornton (who played Grandpa Who in How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical!) is a suitably menacing presence. The film does a fine job of showing off its iconic creature while also leaving audiences wanting more, keeping The Mean One to the shadows until it’s time for another bloodbath.
Juggling twee small-town romance with a festive mystery and gory slasher story, there’s a refreshing lack of filler to this low-budget indie. LaMorte and the Koblers keep the story moving, punctuating its quieter moments with scenes of grisly violence and well-done pastiche. Performances may be stilted in places, but the actors are well supported by the script, and Martin’s Cindy emerges as a compelling lead, with more than a few shades of Wes Craven final girl to her battle with the monster.
Those who demand a slick sheen from their horror are, admittedly, unlikely to be won over by the more wooden supporting cast, regrettable CGI blood and clunky pacing. However, to the rest, The Mean One is a charming festive gem and an amusingly inventive bastardisation of a Christmas icon. Frequently funny, riotously horrible, and delightfully Christmassy, it’s enough to make even the most tired indie horror fan’s heart grow a size or three.
THE MEAN ONE is opening exclusively at Regal Cinemas nationwide in the USA on December 9th, with special advance screenings taking place on the evening of the 8th. Additional details about where to see it on the big screen can be found at TheMeanOneMovie.com.
